Happy New Year!

I can't believe that this year is over!  It has been a difficult year for me personally.  I started going to the gym and changing my lifestyle and it has worked, but I still have a lot of changes to make mentally.  I tend not to be mean and even cruel to myself when things don't work out.  My resolution this year is to be kinder to myself and to practice self-compassion and self-care.  Here is a list of some of my favourite cookbooks that I have used over the past year:

Although this isn't my favourite cookbook, it is a must have in my kitchen as a reference guide.  My favourite recipe in this book are the quick drop biscuits which I adore because they are quick, easy and tasty.  They are the perfect accompaniment to stews, soups and as a side to roasts to soak up gravy.

Diane Kochilas is my favourite Greek cooking author!  Named after the island her cooking school is situated on, this is full of delicious and nutritious Greek cooking.  Also check out her website for more recipes here.

Oh, hello veggies and aren't you nummy!  Ottolenghi has done a wonderful job of getting my family to enjoy vegetarian food.  The Black Pepper Tofu is spicy and delicious and totally worth making as a treat every so often.  It is a little heavy than you think because of the sauce.  This is a family favourite as is the Shakshuka.

This is another book by Ottolenghi that is a family favourite!  This has one of our favourite recipes, Conchigle with yogurt, peas and chile.  While my husband and I love the recipe, we have made it simpler for our purposes and now we can have it made in 30 minutes or less.  We skip making the "green sauce" and instead use a microplane to grate the garlic directly into the yogurt, stirring in the feta, basil and peas just before adding the drained pasta.  It is easy to overdo it on the garlic this way as it won't smell fragrant until you add the warm peas.  When making the pine nuts and chile topping, add some onion as well and cook until caramelized.  Whatever you do, don't skimp on the olive oil!  Dump it all on top of a single serving bowl, then dish it out making sure to capture some of the onions, pine nuts and chile for each person!  Also, conchigle of the correct size (medium) can be difficult to find so use another type of pasta that is good for capturing sauce (rotini or orecciate for example).

Christmas Romances

Merry Christmas everyone!  Since it is the holidays, here is a fun list of some of my favourite Christmas Romances.

I love these stories by Grace Burrowes!  For me, the most memorable was Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish because it isn't often that a duke's daughter is abandoned by her maid with an unwanted child.  I read these all several years ago, but still remember them!

Lydia made a youthful mistake and hates that the local doctor is the only one who knows about it.  In the meantime, Dr. Jonas has feelings for Lydia, but she will not allow him to become closer to her.  At this magical time of year, will they learn to forgive and love together?  A novella that is part of the Brothers Sinister series, this comes after The Duchess War.

When a disheveled man comes crashing through the door to collapse at the feet of Violet Winterbottom, she is the only person who understands him.  She doesn't recognize him, but will they heal together?  A novella that is part of the Spindle Cove series, this comes after A Night To Surrender.

Princess Jacqueline of Sensaire has written desires in her diary that she would never reveal to anyone.  In a moment of boredom, Cam Westfall, Earl of Bedwyr, finds and reads her diary only to find that she is his new muse after years of writer's block.  How will Cam overcome the prejudices of the former Queen of Sensaire and Jacqueline find the courage to defy her duty to a cold-blooded marriage?  Read this book to find out!  The last book in the Prince Catcher series.

I really enjoyed this book!  When the Earl of Cleves returns to his childhood home in order to close the house permanently, he is shocked to arrive during a holiday party!  His childhood friend Thea is now the housekeeper and throws a holiday party annually.  She has been waiting for the Earl to return home in order to heal from scars left by the death of his brother and the abandonment of his father.  She engages in a campaign to get him into the holiday spirit.  Will he learn to live with the ghosts of his past or will they overcome him?  Although this is the third book in the Sutherland Sisters series, it also stands alone.

Romance Author: Anna Bradley

The Sutherland Scandals

I was trying to find library books to read on my kobo because I have a long bus ride coming up.  I saw one of her books was available and I'm always looking out for new authors, so I thought I would give Anna Bradley a shot.

A Wicked Way to Win an Earl is a book about the daughter of a scandal, Delia Somerset.  Although she despises the ton, Delia's sister Lily is desperate to escape the tediousness of their home and so accepts an invitation to a house party thrown by the Earl's sisters.  The Earl of Sutherland, Alec, is desperate to keep his brother Robyn away from this scandalous girl, but when he does, they discover that they have marvelous chemistry together and fall in love with each other.

A Season of Ruin is the story of Robyn Sutherland and Lily Somerset.  Lily Somerset is determined to use this season to find a husband who is steady and safe, but when she accidentally stumbles into Robyn's arms and is reported in a gossip column, all her plans are ruined.  When Robyn tries to help her dreams come true, it turns out that what she wants is different than what she needs.  Lily and Robyn clash so many times until they finally give in and get their HEA.

I would suggest reading these two books first since the sequel series are about the Sutherland Sisters and the rest of the Somerset family.  I'm so glad that I found her!  I really like this author!  She writes wonderful 3D characters who have multiple levels.  I kept thinking my kobo was going to overheat from the chemistry and love scenes they are so hot!  I would suggest this author for people who like steamy stories with strong female characters.

Buy or Borrow: Persona 5

I had no idea what this game was about when I borrowed it from the library.  Some people were talking about it in a chat of a live stream, so I thought I would give it a shot.  Persona 5 is about a person (you!) who is wrongfully accused and convicted of a crime.  While you are on probation, you move out and start attending a new school.  Along the way, you will make some new friends and work on developing your relationship with them.

I would suggest this book for people who enjoy Japanese Role Playing Games.  It is definitely more for a mature audience.  It is an adult game due to the language and subject matter.  I would suggest this for people who have played other JRPGs since it follows the same format.  there is a ton of replayability.  The only thing that drives me crazy is that there are only 16 save slots.  If you decide to start over, then you still only have 16 save slots instead of getting another set of save slots.  I'll have to complete the game first, then replay it again.  Also, it would have been helpful to follow a guide or walkthrough of some kind.

My verdict:  Given the amount of time it will take to play this game and the replayability, I would borrow to start, but buy eventually.